Last Exchange In Friendship
by Correlian76
Summary: A retelling of Obi Wan and Anakin's last conversation before Kenobi leaves to pursue General Grievous in Ep III


Obi Wan leaned against the viewport with his arms folded across his chest. Beneath him the heavy cruiser continued to prepare for launch, the regimented hordes of clones filing up the access ramp like termites.

He sensed Anakin's approach before he heard the familiar urgent footfall of his friend and apprentice.

"Come to see me off?" a hint of a smile crinkled Obi wan's eyes as he spoke.  
"Of course, and..." Anakin hesitated, glancing around bfore settling once more ont he calm visage of his mentor, " I, er, wanted to apologise for what happened earlier, it was unwarranted, I just..."

Obi Wan stepped closer to the tall young man with whom he had shared so may adventures and placed his hands comfortingly on his shoulders.  
"I know you're frustrated with the council, Anakin but you must trust in the force and stay focussed, now, more than ever"  
Obi Wan paused and lowered his hands, looking down at the floor before turning away.  
"I suppose it's my fault really, perhaps I have been too hard on you, perhaps I have been gulity of wanting to prove something to the council in training you"  
Anakin's eyebrows raised "How do you mean?"  
Obi wan smiled sadly "Everything happened so quickly, Qui Gonn dying, finding you, the separatist threat. I think in my youthful vanity i supposed the council didn't think I was ready to be a master either and certainly not ready to train The Chosen One" Obi Wan gave a small and mock reverent flourish with his hand.  
Anakin smirked and said "But you've been a great teacher and the one constant in my life, apart from change" he looked out of the viewport.  
"Life is change, brother" Obi wan joined him to survey the spaceport "but yes, you have had much to deal with, more than someone your age should in an ideal world. We never spoke at length about your mother Ani and I regret that. We are taught to not let our actions be governed by our emotions but sometimes I feel that it may be actually a mistake not to acknowledge them"  
Anakin looked at his mentor, surprised to hear him talk like this "Better not let the council hear you say that" Obi wan smiled,  
"I don't mean to let emotion inform your actions, that is a path to the dark side. No, i mean to be able to acknowledge, accept and incorporate experience into ourselves so as to not let it cloud our judgement"  
Obi Wan turned to Anakin, placing his hand on his robotic forearm.  
"Anakin, I do wish that I was not leaving Coruscant. I sense a hesitancy in you my friend, you are hiding something from me and I am afraid for you"  
Anakin's eyes narrowed "I'll be alright, you have to go, this is the best chance we've had in months to end the war. Things will be different then, you'll see"  
Obi Wan sighed "perhaps you're right but be wary of your friend The Chancellor, he is difficult to read, unusual in itself for a non-jedi but I see the value he places on his relationship with you, there is a vested interest there"  
"Only a shared one, master, in peace and stability for the Republic"  
Obi wan snorted quietly, "We will see, to be a Jedi is to accept that much of what is to happen may be pre-ordained by the will of the force. Never have I been more unsettled by that idea than now"  
"You worry too much, about me, about the chancellor, the jedi. Besides we make our own fate, i hear the will of the force but I trust my own judgement"  
Obi Wan looked fondly at his young companion, "I am proud of you, Anakin, I may not have said that enough but you have been a excellent student even when your ambition exceeded your ability. Whether the prophecy is true or not, I care more that you know you have everything you need to be a great jedi and...a good person"  
Anakin smiled, boyishly and for a moment his brow became unfurrowed and he seemed once more to be the boy kenobi had met all those years ago, who's only thoughts were of fixing things and helping others.  
"Thank you master, give my best to Grievious"  
"I will, May the force be with you, my friend"  
" And with you"  
Anakin watched his mentor, his brother, walk down the ramp the the waiting cruiser and as the access door closed he felt, for no reason he could easily define, a finality to their last exchange. As if whatever happened in days to come, things would not, could not be the same again. He clenched his jaw and strode swiftly from the departure area. He couldn't concern himself with his own destiny now, all that mattered was Padme's safety and that of their baby and he would not fail. Must not fail...again.  



End file.
